An Illinois judge has denied bail for the four suspects charged in
connection with a Facebook video that allegedly showed them torturing an
18-year-old man whom police characterized as having "mental health challenges."
The suspects' public defenders were seeking that they be released on a
"reasonable bail," but Cook County Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil denied
the request. When announcing her decision, Kuriakos Ciesil stared at the
defendants and asked, "Where was the sense of decency that each of you
should've had when you were allegedly committing this crime?"
The suspects looked back at the judge but did not answer her question.
During the ordeal, 18-year-old suspect Jordan Hill of Carpentersville
had contacted the victim's mother seeking $300 in cash, prosecutors said
in court.
Hill and the three other suspects -- Tesfaye Cooper, 18, of Chicago,
Brittany Covington, 18, of Chicago and Tanishia Covington, 24, of
Chicago -- were arrested and charged with hate crime,
aggravated kidnapping, aggravated unlawful restraint and aggravated
battery with a deadly weapon. Hill, Cooper and Covington were
additionally charged with residential burglary. Hill also was charged
with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, according to the Cook County
State Attorney’s Office in Illinois.
On Wednesday, the suspects allegedly broadcast a 30-minute Facebook Live
video that showed them violently assaulting the victim, who had his
mouth taped shut.
At one point, the victim is threatened with a knife and told to curse President-elect Donald Trump.
"Say f--- Donald Trump," someone is heard saying in the video.
"F--- Donald Trump," the victim says.
In another part of the video, someone is heard yelling, "F--- white
people." Chicago Police Cmdr. Kevin Duffin said Thursday that the
"primary reason" the suspects were charged with the hate crime was
because of racial slurs and references to the victim's mental capacity
heard in the video.
The suspects admitted in video statements to police to beating and
kicking the victim as well as making him drink toilet water, Duffin
said.
The victim had been reported missing by his parents Monday after they
dropped him off on New Year's Eve at a McDonald's in Streamwood, a
suburb northwest of Chicago, under the premise that he would be spending
the night with Hill, who police said was an acquaintance of the
victim's from school.
After two days of visiting friends, Hill and the victim went to the home
of the Covington sisters, where the police said the assault took place.
The ordeal seen in the video began after a "play fight" between the
victim and Hill escalated, police said.
The victim was able to escape after the sisters retaliated against a
neighbor on a lower floor who complained about the noise by kicking in
her door. Officers responding to a damaged property call found the
victim on the street wearing shorts, flip flops and a tank top that was
inside out and backward, despite the frigid temperatures.
In a press conference Thursday evening, the victim's family said he is doing "as well as he could be at this time."
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